Ray’s Corner Soapbox – Pardon Me

Thanksgiving has now come and gone.  I hope everyone had a wonderful day full of mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing,  cranberry sauce, squash, sweet potatoes, and all the pie you can hold.

I wanted to discuss the other guest that was invited to Thanksgiving and couldn’t refuse to come.  Yes, I want to speak on behalf of the turkey.  Now if the President pardoned the Thanksgiving Day turkey given to the White House.  When did this tradition of granting a pardon to a turkey begin??  Come 'on, guess.  George Washington???  Abe Lincoln??  No, it wasn't the pardon given to Richard Nixon, either.

It is amazing just how old this tradition is.  This is a tradition that goes way back in history.  All the way back to President George H. W. Bush in 1989.  Yes, that was the first officially pardoned turkey in our history.  So the Thanksgiving day turkey gets pardoned (actually two….they have another in the “wings”, so to speak in case anything happens to the first one.) yet another was on the table. 

I can only say that I’m glad ol’ Tom had a decent life and dedicated himself to our enjoyment.  Okay, now I’ve got to go get some more turkey…I’m hungry again.  Turkey sandwiches today, turkey stew tomorrow.  yum-yum

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Origins

Each year since 1947, the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board have given a turkey to the President of the United States at a White House ceremony. Since then, presidents have been more likely to eat the turkey rather than give it a reprieve. A notable exception occurred in 1963, when President Kennedy, referring to the turkey given to him, said, "Let's just keep him." It wasn't until the first Thanksgiving of President George H.W. Bush, in 1989, that a turkey was officially pardoned for the first time.